Molecular analysis of mercury-induced antinucleolar antibodies in H-2 super(s) mice

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 152; no. 2; pp. 667 - 675
• Main Authors: Monestier, M, Losman, MJ, Novick, KE, Aris, J P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.1994
• ISSN: 0022-1767

In H-2 super(s) mice, the administration of mercuric chloride results in the development of antinucleolar autoantibodies. These mice represent a valuable model to study the role of environmental factors in the development of systemic autoimmunity. We have obtained seven antinucleolar mAb from mercury-injected A.SW mice and characterized their specificities and V genes. All mAb immunoprecipitate the U3 and U8 ribonucleoprotein particles (RNP) and some (but not all) react with fibrillarin, the only currently characterized protein component of mammalian nucleolar RNP. Several V sub(H) and V Kappa genes are recurrently used by these antinucleolar RNP mAb and their H chain CDR3 segments contain several acidic residues that may be important for binding to the cationic proteins composing the nucleolar RNP. Our results support the concept that in H-2 super(s) mice administration of mercury induces a specific loss of tolerance to nucleolar RNP.